LOUIS BREWSTER ON MOTORSPORTS: Off Road series heads to Glen Helen

The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series makes its annual visit to Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino with a pair of night races on Saturday and Sunday, starting the second half of the season on the eight-tenths of a mile, five-turn course.If history is any indication, the winner in the ninth round will also take the checkered flag the following day in the 10th. There have been 40 different winners in 78 races the four years the best off-road drivers have competed at Glen Helen. Of the four premier classes in the series, Pro Buggy has avoided a sweep with seven different winners in eight races.Pro Lite is quite the opposite, as in three of the four years, there has been just one winner.

There are a pair of close points races in the series.

In Pro 2, veteran Rob MacCachren is eight points ahead of Carl Renezeder, and just 32 over Brian Deegan. MacCachren has won three of the eight and Deegan a pair.In Pro Buggy, Dave Mason has a four-point edge on Steven Greinke, 380-376.Renezeder's season-long win streak in Pro 4 was snapped by Eric Barron, who now trails by 61 points. The race winner gets 50 points.In Pro Lite, Deegan has a substantial lead over 15-year-old Sheldon Creed. Deegan has two wins while Creed has three.A year ago, Bradley Morris won the Pro Lite opener against Casey Currie and Deegan and followed that with Sunday's main event win over Deegan and Currie in the second. In spring 2011, it was Deegan who took the two rounds, beating Chris Brandt and Kyle LeDuc both days. It was Marty Hart who beat Deegan and Matt Loiodice on opening day in 2010 and Brandt and John Beyer in the finale.It was only in summer 2011 that there were two different winners, Deegan and Cameron Steele.Other Glen Helen sweeps: Barron last year in Pro 4 and the late Rick Huseman in August 2011; in Pro 2, Renezeder in May 2011 and MacCachren in 2010.

ESPN ready to roll

Despite Tuesday's announcement, the network will be out of the NASCAR broadcast business in 2015, ESPN will start its 17-race season Sunday at the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Allan Bestwick will call the action with two-time race winner Dale Jarrett and Andy Peachtree adding analysis.

"The level of competition continues to improve," said Jarrett, elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this year. "There are more teams with opportunities to perform well on a weekly basis. When I was racing, there were eight to 12 teams that could win each week.

"Now, there are 20 to 22 teams. It's much more difficult to win or to be in the top five."

Jarrett, who won in 1996 and 1999 and narrowly missed in 1998 after running out of gas and falling five laps behind, said his pick for the race, and the Chase as well, is Jimmie Johnson.

"He and (crew chief) Chad Knaus are the best when it comes to adapting to conditions," said Jarrett. "Indy is a different kind of race track. But keep an eye on the Toyotas if their engines hold up."

Jarrett is most proud of a tradition he started at Indy in 1996, with prodding from crew chief Todd Parrott. The victory circle celebration was cut short so Jarrett's team could go back on the track and kiss the yard of bricks.

Since then, both NASCAR and IndyCar winners at the Brickyard kiss the yard of bricks.

"It's such a special place," said Jarrett. "It takes so much time and effort to kiss the bricks."

Quite a turnaround

Normally, it's the race fans at a Friday or Saturday program who spend time in concession stand lines in quest for a beer, or something stronger. But that wasn't the case at Watsonville Ocean Speedway last Friday in Santa Cruz County.It started when racers on the card thought a fellow competitor was much too aggressive and reckless, forcing drivers to the side or off the track. A complaint was fired and county police officer Jacob Gonzales responded. He tracked down Leslie Charles Hunter in the pits after the race.The 64-year-old San Jose man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence during a race and driving with a blood alcohol content level higher than 0.08 percent.

No one was injured in the incident.

Names in the news

Northridge NHRA Comp Eliminator driver Doug Lambeck defeated Scott McClay of Tehachapi to win the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series last weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Mike Blodgett of Torrance was second to Chad Langdon of La Mirada in Super Gas. "? Long Beach native Jason Leffler, killed two months ago in a sprint car accident, will be honored by TS Motorsports in the Indianapolis Nationwide race in Chevy driven by Justin Allgaier. "? Travis Pastrana wanted to take Roush Fenway Racing drivers Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on a base jump, but it was canceled the day before. "? Reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will attempt to become the first driver to win two major events in Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 104-year history Friday in the Brickyard Grand Prix. He'll drive for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in a Daytona Prototype along with Joey Hand in Grand-Am Rolex Sorts Car Series event "? Famed NHRA car owner Paul Candies died unexpectedly over the weekend. "He was an excellent man and had a pure love for this sport as much as anyone who has ever been out here," said former driver Mark Oswald. "? Juan Esteban Garcia commutes from his Bogot?, Colombia home to compete at Irwindale Speedway. The 16-year-old made history as the youngest driver to win a Division I feature at the track, edging three-time track champion Rip Michels by .003 seconds.

Racing around SoCal

Perris Auto Speedway will host the United States Speedway Motorcycle Long Track Championship for the first time in three years on Saturday. "? Speedway motorcycles and sidecars head Friday night's card at Pirate Speedway on the National Orange Show grounds in San Bernardino. ... Saturday's open wheel race by Dirt Entertainment at MacroAir Orange Show Stadium in San Bernardino has been canceled. "? Ventura Raceway is off Saturday, preparing for the Ventura County Fair which opens July 31 "? NHRA continues its famed Western Swing this weekend at Sonoma Raceway. ... Fans can get a lap around Auto Club Speedway for $10 ($20 for a 100 mph-plus pace car ride) Friday from 3-7 p.m. to benefit reading program.